The rural-to-urban migration in India has surprisingly slowed down over the past few decades, Pranob Sen, Country Director of the International Growth Centre’s (IGC) India Central Programme, has said.
The rate of migration has shown a consecutive decline in the last three Censuses. In most other countries, this has happened only once the urban population grows to around 55% of the total population. However, in India, the deceleration began as early as the share of urban population hit 25%, he said.
He was delivering the 8th B.G. Kumar lecture on ‘The Puzzle of Indian Urbanisation’ at the Centre for Development Studies, Ulloor. It was possible that this slow-down signalled the worsening conditions in urban slums, where most of the rural immigrants were concentrated.
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Although it was the higher wage rate in urban areas that cause them to migrate, immigrants often did not have access to the better paying employment opportunities in urban areas, as they lack the social and productive skill set required for them.
If a remedy for this situation was not viable, more employment should be generated in rural areas, Dr. Sen said. Further, given that the fast pace of technological development necessitated high-skilled manpower, there should be a focus on improving the educational system.
Nonetheless, urbanisation was on the rise due to the transformation of rural areas, Dr. Sen said.
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He has worked with the Planning Commission, and has held positions including the Chief Statistician of India, and Secretary, Ministry of Statistics & Programme Implementation.